Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/22/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB116 | |
| SB102 | |
| SB26 | |
| HB121 | |
| SB35 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 116 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 102 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 26 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 121 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 35 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 26-ELIMINATE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
4:43:57 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 26
"An Act petitioning the United States Department of
Transportation to change the time zones of Alaska; exempting the
state from daylight saving time; and providing for an effective
date."
4:44:14 PM
SENATOR KELLY MERRICK, District L, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 26 said this legislation would
permanently exempt Alaska from daylight savings time and seek
federal approval to move the state to Pacific Standard Time. She
described it as the more practical, responsible option compared
to SB 102, noting it has strong backing from tourism and banking
industries for providing consistency and long-term benefits.
4:46:30 PM
KERRY KROCKER, Staff, Senator Kelly Merrick, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided the sectional analysis for
SB 26:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Sectional Analysis
"An Act petitioning the United States Department of
Transportation to change the time zones of Alaska;
exempting the state from daylight saving time; and
providing for an effective date."
Section 1. Amends AS 44.12 - Exemption from Daylight
Saving Time (AS 44.12.400)
• Exempts the state of Alaska from the observation
of daylight-saving time (DST).
Section 2. Amends the Uncodified Law of the State of
Alaska - Petition to the United States Department of
Transportation to Change Alaska's Time Zone
• Directs the Alaska State Legislature to formally
petition the United States Department of
Transportation (USDOT) to move the entire state
of Alaska to the Pacific Standard Time (PST)
zone.
• Requests the USDOT to initiate proceedings under
the Uniform Time Act of 1966, following the
procedural requirements for changing time zones.
Section 3. Conditional Effect of Section 1
• States that Section 1 (the exemption from DST)
will only take effect if the USDOT places the
entire state of Alaska within the Pacific
Standard Time zone on or before January 1, 2035.
4:47:20 PM
MR. KROCKER continued with the sectional analysis of SB 26:
Section 4. Immediate Effect of Section 2
• Provides that Section 2, which initiates the
petition to the USDOT, takes effect immediately
upon the passage of the Act.
Section 5. Effective Date of Section 1
• Specifies that if Section 1 (the exemption from
DST) takes effect, it will do so on the effective
date of the placement of all of Alaska into the
Pacific Standard Time zone by the USDOT.
4:47:58 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI held SB 26 in committee.
4:48:23 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 26; he found none
and kept public testimony open.